Venture capital investor driving innovation in the shipping industry
by Startacus Admin
Third-generation German shipowner turned venture capitalist, Christian Oldendorff, is one of the youngest leaders, recognised in The Thirty@30 Years list by TradeWinds, the world's biggest shipping news service.
Christian's recognition illustrates the economic significance of venture capital and the importance of technological adoption in the maritime sector. In his desire to drive innovation in the shipping industry, he founded Amplifier, a venture capital fund and innovation unit, investing in early stage technology companies reshaping the 'future of the supply chain'. In just 2 years the fund has 
backed over 12 entrepreneurs, with a total of 3m euro invested.
“My fascination with technology started at a very young age – growing up, I realized despite shipping’s key role in the supply chain, it was lagging behind when it came to digital transformation and innovation, with little transparency in the sector. The developments in the supply chain field did not keep up with the level of technological change found in other sectors. Many processes are still paper-based, with information being kept in silos. This led me to the idea to start Amplifier and focus on the supply chain. “
Previously, the shipping heir launched Oldendorff Overseas Investments, an entity enabling institutional investors to invest in maritime innovation that resulted in over $750m of funding in shipping assets.
“My ultimate goal for the maritime industry is to use my knowledge, skills and resources to help drive a positive change. For example, in my ‘Towards Net Zero’ project, the aim is to create autonomous all-electric vessels, where the power is delivered from fossil fuels in their infancy to zero emission fuels as these technologies mature.”
The list with top 30 individuals with the highest potential to influence the maritime sector over the next decades also featured Robert Maersk Uggla (Grandson of Danish shipping magnate Arnold Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller) and Maria Angelicoussis (daughter of billionaire Greek ship owner John Anthony Angelicoussis). The selection was made from over thousands of industry professionals.
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Published on: 20th October 2020
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